Every picture tells a story

Just thought you might like to see this. It was a sticker on Jim McDowall’s Subaru and it expressed the sentiments of rally fans everywhere. Like the rest of us Jim’s a fan and he got these stickers made up himself. I would have shown you the other side of the car as well, but Jim spent some time ‘scenery shopping’ collecting a wheel well full of turf and hedgelings and since this was self-service, some damage to the bumper and wing was incurred during the process, so I’m just being respectfully considerate not showing you the other side!  

Rally - A heartwarming tale

The youth of today often get a bad press, but those are in the minority, the rest just get on with life and some meet their challenges head on. For example, on Saturday one of the temporary radio masts ‘went down’ as they say and needed urgent repairs. These masts are a vital part of the safety network on a rally especially one like the Beatson’s Mull Rally where the physical geographical extent of the route creates a range problem and the hills add their own additional vertical challenges which have to be overcome. There’s a whole team of these volunteers who arrive on the island days before the rally to set up this network and our likely lad, whom we’ll call Kenneth (cos that’s his name) is one of those dedicated stalwarts. He works under the stewardship of the team leader, one Inspector Gadget as he is reverentially known, and when he became aware of a problem, Kenneth volunteered for the task. Trouble was, the mast was mid-stage and the rally was live. Undaunted, Kenneth set off carrying one of those large ‘Really Useful’ 64 litre sealable storage boxes full of the necessary spares and tools. He walked from Torloisk to Rhudle, a distance of some 3 miles, along the side of the road, over ditches, through fields, ferns and gorse and over dry stane dykes. When he came to the wee bridge over the burn, he remembered that he wasn’t allowed on a ‘live’ stage, so instead of crossing the bridge, he waded across the burn. On arrival at the problem he set to work and effected the vital repairs. Oh, and did I mention it was raining? And we all know what the rain showers were like on Saturday afternoon, don’t we? The young man’s a star and his story deserves to be told. With young men like him, perhaps the sport and indeed the country, is still in safe hands. Gaun yersel Kenneth.

Rally - Having a laugh

I’m not sure whether the staff at my hotel are being ironic or simply having a laugh. They replaced the soap in the loo this morning. After watching streams of drookit, sodden guests coming and going over the weekend, traipsing and dripping over their carpets and condensating all the windows, their choice of personal cleansing agent just seemed rather apt. But here’s the thing, the soap lies. It’s still bluidy raining.

Rally - Reignmaker

Last night, the Island of Mull again showed its malevolent side. The wet shiny tar glinted evilly in the light thrown ahead of the cars. Dark standing water lay hidden over crests and around corners like elephant traps seeking their prey of mechanical monsters. Earlier in the afternoon’s drier conditions, these same roads had merely been a challenge, now it was a matter of survival.

And the rain. Relentless, and yet every so often it would stop as if to draw breath and then just when senses had been lulled another sudden deluge would drown hopes and ambitions. What a night, what a rally. The 2019 Beatson’s Mull Rally lived up to its reputation of the ‘Best Rally in the World’ for all the wrong reasons.

Through it all, Paul MacKinnon and Paul Beaton sped and splashed their way to a convincing victory by over a minute. For a while Daniel Harper and Chris Campbell were a threatening second but that chase was put beyond doubt when the MINI lost its brakes in Ben More and had to run brakeless through Scridain to reach service and repairs. There was no way back.

Meanwhile the regal progress of the Staffa Tours Fiesta continued as if ordained to be crowned king. It was Paul’s 3^rd victory on the island: “Conditions were so atrocious on that final stage, I’m just so relieved and chuffed,” said Paul, “The rally went to plan and we kept within ourselves although there was a wee bit in reserve. Daniel pushed us hard in places, but the biggest challenge was the weather. It was so changeable and conditions so unpredictable.”

And we learned something new last night. According to Harper, the last stage was “as greasy as b*ll*cks!”

In conditions more suited to ducks with hand cut webbed feet, the two wheel drive brigade were at a big disadvantage from the off. Somebody forgot to tell David Bogie and John Rowan and the Duffy brothers. Yes they were a distant 3rd and 4^th but their progress was spectacular as they slipped, slithered and drifted from bend to bend.

“There was fog in that last stage too,” said David, “this is a rally that just keeps on giving, it’s relentless, absolutely relentless.”

Calum and Iain Duffy snatched 4^th place from Jonathan Mounsey and Richard Wardle on the last stage: “We gave it everything we had,” said Calum, “we left it all in the stage. This rally had everything, it was mental out there.”

Mounsey was still pleased with 5^th: “There’s not a scratch on the car. We went as hard as we could, but the fog spoiled the job on that last stage,” said Jonathan, “All the Notes in the world can’t help when the fog bounces the light straight back in your face, and even when you cut the spotlights, you still can’t see.”

Rounding off the top six were Eddie O’Donnell and Steven Brown with Eddie echoing the thoughts of most folk: “It’s good to see the rally back. It ran well, with no real delays and the organisation was slick. I just wanted to finish, that was my intention from the start but on the last stage, the alternator light came on!”

StephenThompson scored his best result on Mull with 7^th and “loved it” with Shaun Sinclair 8^th ahead of John Marshall and Craig Rutherford.

It was event sponsor Marshall who came up with one of the best descriptions: “You know when you’re watching a TV programme and somebody pours buckets of water over a windscreen and you’re sitting at home saying ‘that’s fake, it never rains like that’, well it does. It was so bad at times the wipers just made no difference whatsoever, they couldn’t clear the water!”

There was heartbreak too. First time out in his Fiesta, Gordon Morrison had worked his way up to 6^th but slid off the road in Calgary. Stewart Morrison revealed the cause of his disappearance from the top ten when he explained that the two bottom links on the back axle broke which in turn caused the axle itself to snap and Ross Hunter’s valiant run which had carried the Peugeot up to 12^th place was halted in Ben More with the car off the road.

And who’d have thought it, Mike Storrar finished 24^th overall in the Toyota Starlet after an engine and gearbox change and some metal embroidery work to repair his back axle.

And then of course there were the Marshals, radio crews and safety personnel who stood their sodden ground as Time Cards turned to mush in their hands, and pens refused to write on wet paper. Marvellous. Each and every one of them.

Provisional Leaderboard after 17 stages (of 17):

1, Paul MacKinnon/Paul Beaton (Ford Fiesta R5) 2:17:51

2, Daniel Harper/Chris Campbell (Mini JCW WRC) +1:41
3, David Bogie/John Rowan (Ford Escort Mk2) +7:41
4, Calum Duffy/Iain Duffy (Ford Escort Mk2) +11:10
5, Jonathan Mounsey/Richard Wardle (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6) +11:11
6, Eddie O'Donnell/Steven Brown (Ford Escort Mk2) +15:53
7, Stephen Thompson/Larry Higton (Ford Escort Mk2) +16:15
8, Shaun Sinclair/Patrick Walsh (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo7) +17:25
9, John Marshall/Scott Crawford (Ford Fiesta R5) +19:49
10, Craig Rutherford/Fergus Barlow (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) +21:52

Rally - False hope

False hope ... The clouds gave way to sunshine this morning, then it rained. If you want to know about the term 'sunshine showers' come to Mull. Some of the showers were quite fierce, but they were short. That meant different crews encountered them at different places depending on their running order. In other words, conditions were just as unpredictable as they were last night. The only difference this time, it was daylight. That also meant more committment and higher speeds and the crowds flocked into the stages to watch these modern day gladiators at work and play. Even along the roadsides, families with children were ourside their houses, hamlets and even where no habitation was within sight cheering on their favourites as they passed and checking them off on the Programme entry lists. The kids just stood there no matter how heavy the rain! Oblivious to everything but the sight and sound of rally cars. Magic, pure magic.

Paul MacKinnon and Paul Beaton (2) still lead this 50th Mull Rally sponsored by Beatson's Building Supplies, but Daniel Harper and Chris Campbel (4) have dropped to just over a minute behind, but that's still only a hop, skip and a fright away from the lead. "I've just been off," said Daniel, "I fle a bit further than I thought it would fly, over 'John Shirley's leap'. Unlike Shirley I landed in the ditch rather than the dry stane wall, and just managed to power my way out. It knocked the tracking out and filled the wheels with mud so it was  handful to get it here."

MacKinnon is not without his concerns either: "Harper is an annoying old b*st*rd, he keeps winding me up," said Paul, "it's hard going, Mishnish Lochs was like a skating rink in places, conditions are really changeable., but we seem to have a problem, probably due to the puncture I had on Stage 3. It keeps stepping out on right handers, so I think something is bent."

David Bogie (5) has moved up to 3rd and leading the 2WD charge but even his pace is not without risk: "I had a BIG tank slapper on the Hill Road," laughed David, "I was on the power on the shiny tar, and it just lit the car up.I thought I had a puncture, just no grip at all." And how did I know this? There is a small dink in the lower rear o/s panel. That's the third event in a row he has dinked the same panel.

To those who don;t know, the local phenomenon of 'shiny tar' refes to recent nee road surfaces which seem to be oily and greasy until they get some cow and sheep dung into them, so when they get wet they can quite lethal at high speed.

Jonathan Mounsey (9) as usual is going well and holding 4th but he has Calum Duffy (3) on his tail, less than a minute behind with Calum displaying an evil grin which I take to infer that Jonathan is catchable! "We're going as hard as we can with the tools we've got," said Jonathan, "we had a big moment on the Lochs, flat out in top gear - and it stepped out!"

"I'm getting to grips with this and going a bit faster," said Gordon Morrison (19), referring to his new R5 which replaced his Subaru, "you have to be aggressive with it, and I'm a bit of an aggressive character." Aye, now there's an understatement, eh?

Stephen Thompson (15) is going well in 7th but there is hole in the tail of the Escort where a back light unit once was! Eddie O'Donnell (14) is up to 8th commenting:"I've never seen Torloisk junction so wet. The water was just streaming across the road. It was horrible."

In 9th place is Shaun Sinclair (11) who must be going better as Patrick has stopped stabbing him in the thight with his pencil while event sponsor John Marshall (30) saying: "We're in No Man's Land as regard to results but we're just keeping a steady pace."

Those of course are the lucky ones. John MacCrone (1) withdrew last night after injuring his back and Tristan Pye (6) blew his turbo this afternoon. Tony Bardy (10) had got further with his Focus WRC than he ever had before, then the clutch broke, and after an absolutely brilliant start, Stewart Morrison (21) lost his top ten placing when the engine failed this afternoon. Heartbreaking. Keir Beaton (67) managed to hang on to his superb 20th o/a placing despite finishing the Leg dragging a broken bottom suspension arm (just don't tell the Polis) on the road after bowfing a chicane and Magic Mike Storrar (74) arrived at the Salen Hotel with one gear and a broken back axle: "It happened near the end of the last stage," said Mike, 'but I managed to get all the way here in 2nd gear." And with the rally re-start just over 4 hours away, Mike is positively upbeat" We've got s are gearbox and we can weld up the axle." Someone is going to earn their Mars bars tonight, eh? First timer Oliver Benton (72) was originally down to co-drive but his Dad Steve persuaded him to drive instead and the motocross rider is currently holding a quite superb 13th place overall:"Dad told me the Mull Rally was amazing. This is my second ever rally, an dhe's right, Mull is amazing." Another convert from 2 wheels to 4 perhaps? Ian Chadwick (29) is 15th and the grin just keeps getting wider. The ex Fabia R2 driver says: "I've never jumped a car as much, and I've been coming here a long time. Ken doesn't tell me how I'm doing, so I've no idea where we are but we are getting close to Doug Weir on the stages so I consider that a good sign, Doug is very handy. We're having a lot of fun and scaring ourselevs silly!"

As ever, the weather continues to play havoc with predictions, just ask Billy Bird (16): "If you want someone to make a bad tyre choice, I'm the expert."  

Which just leaves the final Leg of 4 stages to determine the outcome tonight. It's been 17 years since a non-islander last won the Mull Rally and that man was Daniel Harper. Shaping up to be quite a duel, eh?
 
Provisioanl leaderboard after SS13 (of 17 stages)
1, Paul MacKinnon, 1h 35m 23s
2, Daniel Harper, 1h 36m 29s
3, David Bogie, 1h 40m 58s
4, Jonahtna Mounsey, 1h 43m 32s
5, Calum Duffym 1h 44m 15s
6, Gordon Morrison, 1h 45m 29s
7, Stephen Thompson, 1h 46m 43s
8, Eddie O'Donnell, 1h 47m 17s
9, Shaun Sinclair, 1h 47m 50s
10, John Marshall, 1h 49m 09s

Rally - Water in the Works

Times for the final 20 mile stage last night (earlier this morning?) were slow in coming through, so here’s the final provisional top ten after Leg 1 of this year’s Beatson’s Mull Rally. Oh, by the way, did I mention it rained last night? Conditions were the main talking point as frequent showers jet washed the north of the island for the first two tests, but eased (a relative term!) as the later runners in this capacity 150 car field came through. The rain kind of stopped for the final three but left the roads slicked and treacherous. The big problem was the changeability and unpredictability of the surfaces, where there was new tar on the Hill Road, there was grip to be had but as Calum Duffy explained, on the old tar sections, the surface had been worn down over the years leaving two channels (like the inside lane on Motorways) along the middle of the road – like two miniature canals, and you had to drive in them, otherwise you were on the grass! “I should have stuck to wets,” he said, “instead of a mix of intermediates and slicks!” As ever, he put on a show at the Dervaig junction: “I had a good slide there,” he chuckled, “all I could see out the windscreen was the river.” If you’ve never been there, that means he was full broadside at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, at full chat, all the way round the corner. And another thing, his power steering had failed on that final stage. Magic, pure bluidy magic.

So how wet was it last night? One lad swore blind he saw a big wooden sailing ship coming up the wee river at Dervaig with an old bearded chap in flowing robes at the tiller and carrying an awfy lot of funny looking animals on board. Mind you the nearby Bellachory Hotel has an excellent whisky gantry, which might have had something to do with it!

And now for Leg 2 which gets underway later this morning at 11.00 am at Craignure for 9 stages in  daylight. If the action was ‘cautiously’ fast and furious last night in the wet, what do you reckon today? Will caution be thrown to the wind and will it be even faster and furiouser? And dare I say it, it’s looking dry in the heavens – at the moment?

One more thing, it’s not just the Marshals who need to be thanked, the boys and girls behind the temporary and unseen on-island safety communications and radio network put in a power of work in atrocious conditions leading up the rally. They erected repeater masts on all the high and exposed bits (mountains to you and me) and trekked across moors and splunged across bogs to get the hardware in place through rain, hail, gale and not so much shine. They’re even more hardy than Wells Fargo.

And here’s the brain teaser of the day. Given the problems with clocks last night – do sun dials work in the rain?

Provisional Leaderboard after 5 stages (of 17):

1, Paul MacKinnon, 46m 01s

2, Daniel Harper, +0.13s

3, John MacCrone, +2.01s

4, Calum Duffy, +3.08s

5, David Bogie, +3.19s

6, Jonathan Mounsey, +4.48s

7, Tristan Pye, +4.52s

8, Stewart Morrison, +5.15s

9, Eddie O’Donnell, +5.44s

10, Donnie MacDonald, +5.55s